The Snake That Tricked Thunder
by TheHttydRaven
Summary: Deceit told Virgil that they were robots, unfeeling, unable to be hurt. But it was a lie, was it not? Because one of them now lay, dying on the wooden floorboards while Deceit cruelly laughed as Virgil stared aghast at the horror he had caused. (Written as a thank-you fic for my account reaching 2000 followers on Amino!)
1. Chapter 1

Salutations!

•𝕃𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕤• on Thomas Sanders Fan Amino suggested writing an angsty fanfic for my 2000+ Followers thank-you post.

So here's an angsty thing that takes place before Virgil joined the light sides/knew of them. I'm not the happiest with this fic/the plot, but it's alright! I was watching the puppet Sanders Sides video, and Logan as a robot was very inspiring!

Warnings: Abusive/Manipulative friendship, evilly portrayed Deceit, injuries, violence (someone gets shot oop), other possibly triggering content.

The Snake That Tricked Thunder

"Deceit told Virgil that they were robots, unfeeling, unable to be hurt. But it was a lie, was it not? Because one of them now lay, dying on the wooden floorboards while Deceit cruelly laughed as Virgil stared aghast at the horror he had caused."

《◇》

"Robots?" Virgil asked quietly as he trailed along after Deceit, the straight-backed, confident Deceitful side marching along the gloomy corridor, with the meek and slouching Anxious trait trailing behind him.

Just like always.

"Yes Virgil, robots. For target practice." Deceit replied, rolling his eyes lazily. "You fight like a blind puppy. If I want to keep you around for a while, alive, you'll need to learn self-defense tactics."

Deceit paused, before turning and testing his hand on Virgil's shoulder, gloved fingers digging painfully into the limb before Virgil felt the sensation of Deceit sinking out, bringing Virgil with him. As they rose up in a new area, Deceit rose a single finger to his lips, demanding silence from the anxious side.

Virgil looked around, finding that they were standing in a small hallway, which opened into a big room that looked to be an auditorium. Virgil crept forward, hand tightening on the barrel of the gun Deceit had conjured for him, before reaching the edge of the wall, and peering around it to look down at the stage of the auditorium, where three forms were standing in various spots, the bright lights shining down upon their forms.

"Are you sure they're robots..?" Virgil questioned, keeping his voice low so the targets wouldn't hear the pair conversing. "They look awfully realistic..."

"Shut up Virgil. You wouldn't be able to tell a robot from a giraffe. Shoot them." Deceit commanded, eyes narrowing in silent fury as Virgil disobeyed him.

"...So they say!"

Virgil turned back to the stage, where one of the... robots had finished singing a song, and the other two politely clapped, before the previously singing robot began to sing another song, the other two occasionally chiming in to sing the chorus or to harmonize.

Virgil took aim, the barrel of the weapon aimed at the loud one, the robot in the king outfit who was standing on the middle of the stage, singing something about how everybody was a hero.

Virgil snorted, yeah right.

Virgil squeezed the trigger, but as he did so, the nicer looking robot, a fatherly looking one with a blue shirt and a grey cardigan wrapped around his shoulders, stepped forward, opening his mouth to join the kingly robot in their musical performance.

As the gun fired, the loud noise it created startled the robots on the stage which confused Virgil, as robots shouldn't be startled, but before he could react the cardigan-wearing robot jerked, a red stain forming on his thigh, blood dripping down his legs to pool on the surface of the stage.

The... 'robot' opened his mouth in a shocked 'O', eyes raising to meet Virgil's shocked ones, before he crumpled to the ground, the other two rushing over to him. As a stern looking robot with glasses knelt over the limp form on the ground, the other one raised his eyes, seeing Deceit and Virgil at the top of the auditorium, and letting out a scream of rage, and drawing a sword from a sheath against his leg, jumping from the stage and bounding up the steps to the top of the auditorium, eyes showing a bloodthirsty rage, a rage to avenge his fallen friend.

Deceit turned, cape swirling dramatically as he did so, hand gripping Virgil's shoulder as they sunk out, his haunting laughter, a cackle of glee and pure evil echoing throughout the mindspace.

As they resurfaced in the Dark Sides common room, Virgil pulled away from the deceitful side, face twisting in anger.

"You said they were robots!" Virgil cried, outraged at how he had been manipulated into harming another side.

"Oh... did I?" Deceit inspected his gloves, acting uninterested. "I don't recall.."

"Deceit!"

"It was a figure of speech, my dear Virgil. They're robots, cruel and uncaring. They abandoned the dark sides years ago, and prevent us from our mission to aid Thomas. They're Light Sides, us Dark Sides don't respect them and never will! They deserve to feel the pain and rejection we felt!" Deceit snarled, before raising his hand, bringing it down swiftly to smack Virgil in the face, whipping his head to the side and leaving a throbbing pain behind, the force of the hit sending Virgil to the ground, landing in a crumpled heap.

As Virgil sat up, huddled and scared on the floor of the Dark Sides common room, Deceit marched away heading down the dim hallway to his room, leaving the anxious side alone and guilty, lost in his world.

Just like always.

《◇》

It had been two years since Virgil hurt... Patton. The morality side.

Patton had never fully recovered. Thomas's fans thought his clumsiness was just acting, or just pure clumsiness, but it was because of the bullet wound in Patton's leg, which caused his right leg to cramp and lock up, or be really stiff, which wasn't easy or painless to walk on.

Virgil never got over his guilt.

It was his fault.

Just like always.

《◇》

Virgil sniffed, wiping his eyes as the tears threatened to spill.

Deceit had been particularly cruel today as Logan, the logical side, and Patton had convinced Thomas that lying to a professor about not doing a project was the wrong choice unlike what Deceit thought, causing him to take out his anger on Virgil, who was now making his way back to his room, lacking the strength to sink down and transport himself to the room.

As Virgil got to the stairs, he decided he was going to try to sink out, knowing that he would never make it up the stairs.

As Virgil closed his eyes and concentrated, he felt the atmosphere change as he transported, but it felt... different, unlike his room, or anywhere in the Dark Sides area of the mindspace.

It felt... nice.

Virgil hesitantly opened his eyes, finding himself in a bright room, an almost replica of the Dark Sides common room, but brighter and more... happy.

Virgil felt his heart drop.

He knew where he was.

The light sid-

"Hello?"

Virgil froze, before turning slowly, wide and fearful eyes meeting the confused ones of another side.

Logan.

The logical side was standing on the stairs, a book in hand and the other one resting on the handrail.

When it was clear Virgil wasn't going to reply, Logan sighed, waving his hand as he called out two names, Roman and Patton, before carefully making his way to the floor, creeping closer to Virgil but still maintaining a few yards between them.

"What is it Microsoft Ne- oh mY GOD." Virgil flinched as a loud voice rang throughout the room, turning to see... Roman, standing behind him, staring at the anxious side as if he had two sets of eyes.

"Hey, kiddos! Oh, and an extra kiddo?" Virgil trembled as he heard the voice of the side that had haunted his dreams for the past two years.

Patton.

"Hey... I recognize you!" Virgil flinched as Roman yelled at him.

"I-I..."

"You're the one that was with Deceit! Two years ago!" Roman angrily cried out, drawing his sword.

"No, I-"

"Get out of here, Dark Side!" Roman snarled, pointing his sharpened sword in Virgil's direction. "We won't let you hurt Patton again!"

Virgil cowered, before willing himself to sink out, leaving the hostile atmosphere of the Light Sides common room.

When Virgil felt the atmosphere of his room surround him at last, he let out a choked sob and fell onto his bed, curling around his cat plushie. Before Virgil could do anything else however, a strong hand falls on his arm, fingers curling to grip his shoulder, a sly and deceitful voice accompanying it.

"I told you so Virgil, don't you see?"

"You can... always trust me."

"And they'll never trust you."

《◇》

The End!

Why does Patton always get hurt in my stories?! I love Patton?

I also love Deceit but he needed to be evil for this story ;_;

Anyways, if you can guess what movie the songs Roman was singing are from, let me know! It's from one of my favorite movies! (although it's not the most popular, it's amazing in my eyes!)

Thanks so much for reading! I've been asked a couple of times if this Story will have a sequel/happy ending, and while I planned on this being just a one-shot, if I feel inspired I'd totally do a sequel! :) But it shall remain completed for now.

~Ren [Queen of Angst]


	2. Chapter 2

Yeah so this gave me a lot of trouble and I kind of hate it but lots of people wanted another chapter so here you go? Enjoy?

I also didn't expect for this to turn into a series of chapters so I'm making this up on the fly lol

I'm actually making this story have multiple chapters I guess so yay? I promise Virgil will get a happy ending at some point! But sometimes it's gotta get worse before it gets better! :)

Warnings;; possibly triggering, violence, Abusive friendship. Abandonment, broken bones, injuries, blood, + other thingies. if you think this story may trigger you, don't read. :)

This chapter isn't too interesting, but it sets up the scene for future chapters ^•^

《◇》

"Roman!" Patton settled his hands to rest upon his hips, the Morality side frowning disprovingly at the Creative side who was currently carefully sliding his sharpened and shining blade back into its sheath before m straightening his white shirt and extravagant sash, brushing his hands over the prince-like outfit to rid it of nonexistent dust.

"Yep Patton?" Roman looked up, an expression of innocent cluelessness upon his face as he noticed the look upon Patton's face. "What'd I do?"

"You threatened to fight...!" Patton began to yell angrily at Roman before pausing as he realized he didn't know the mysterious sides name. "him!"

"...Yes? I'm not seeing any problems here." Roman tilted his head, confused as to why Patton was so enraged by his actions

"Did you not even take a look at him Roman?!" Patton cried. "He was terrified just by us simply standing here! Pulling an intimidating sword out and waving it about his face all the while yelling that you're going to fight him probably didn't help!"

"Yeah, he was probably terrified of me, but because I was preventing him from carrying out Deceit's orders and finishing off Patton as he had planned!" Roman cried out indignatily, crossing his arms defensively as he protested Patton's claims.

Logan cleared his throat, obviously making an entrance into the conversation, hand raising in a signal for Roman and Patton to be quiet for a moment.

"Roman, Patton does seem to be correct, this mysterious acquaintance of Deceit displayed body language providing a sense of fear and guilt, and the many bruises that were visible just on his neck and wrists alone were... worrying to say the least." Logan finished, lips twisting into a slight frown as he implied to his thoughts about the safety and physical health of the trembling side that had been huddled in their common room only a few minutes previously.

Roman paused, shoulders slumping as he understood Logan's implications, his eyes flashing from Patton, whose eyes displayed a sense of heartbreak and sadness as he looked grimly at the logical side, to Logan, who was grimly staring at Roman. "...He had bruises?"

"Yes..." Logan nodded, pushing his glasses up his nose as they had slid down. "This mysterious side, he was covered in them."

"You don't think..?" Roman uncertainly glanced at the other two sides. "He's being..." Roman looked away, unable to bring himself to say the horrid word that they were all thinking.

"Well..." Logan hesitated, before continuing. "From what I remember of that day two years ago, Deceit was definitely there, and I saw him grab the other side when they sunk out as Roman confronted them, and he certainly wasn't being gentle. And the other side looked rather shocked and horrified after... you know... if you ask me." Logan explained to Roman, noticeabley avoiding mentioning Patton's injury by name.

"He's right!" Patton nodded energetically. "Right before I got shot," Logan and Roman winced at this, not being used to Patton speaking of it so openly. "I had looked up as I stepped out onto the front of the stage and we had made eye contact for a few seconds, and he certainly had looked very apologetic and unsure of his actions. I think Deceit was..." Patton trailed off.

"Forcing him to do it..." Roman finished the statement for the morality side, voice grim and eyes sad.

"Well then we need to help him!" Patton cried out, wishing he could immediately assist the young side that had been cowering on the floor of the common room a few minutes ago. "Deceit is hurting him!"

"Patton..." Logan trailed off, but Patton knew what he was going to say. "Patton, we can't... we can't risk it. We need to focus on Thomas, not this... other side."

"Logan? No! We need to..." Patton turned to Roman, eyes pleading for him to agree with Patton's plan.

"Patton..." Roman ducked his head, glancing away. "I'm sorry but... Logan is right."

"I..." Patton took a deep breath before sighing. "I see." Patton then stormed away, opting to use the stairs rather than sinking out.

《◇》

"You've ruined everything!"

The shout rang out through Virgil's room, disturbing the normally desolate and silent area.

Virgil groaned as he rolled across the flooring of his room, curling onto his side as Deceit's booted foot slammed into his ribcage, forcing all the air in his lungs to rush out in a wheezing exhale, leaving him to desperately suck in precious oxegyn before Deceit struck again.

"You idiot!" Deceit screamed at Virgil, voice dripping with fury and eyes blazing with anger.

"Deceit-" Virgil attempted to calm the Deceitful side down, but Virgil knew it was to no avail as Deceit sent his foot into Virgils side yet again, pushing his limp and aching body back against the wall of Virgil's room, the smaller side cowering and attempting to block Deceit's attacks with raised hands, which were trembling as Virgil held them infront of his face. "I didn't mean to-"

"It doesn't matter what you didn't or did mean to do!" Deceit screeched angrily. "The light sides saw you!" Deceit drew his foot back yet again. "You went right to their common room!"

Virgil opened his mouth to protest again, but before he could speak Deceit brought back his foot one final time, sending it into Virgil's chest.

Virgil felt his chest erupt in pain as he heard a crack, before his vision was overwhelmed with white and he writhed on the ground, a desperate and pain-filled gasp escaping from his mouth as he wished for the pain to end.

Deceit had broken something, most likely a rib, possibly multiple.

Virgil felt his head hit the carpeted floor of his room, his arm falling to lay outstretched across the floor, lying next to the scaled man towering over him before his vision went black and he knew no more.

Deceit sneered at the unconscious side that was lying on the floor below him, and in a flash of anger Deceit raised his foot over the arm lying next to his feet, bring his heavy boots down on the upper arm with a sickening crunch.

Virgil didn't stand a chance, and the now horribly crooked arm was added to the ever growing list of injuries Virgil had accumulated in the last few days.

As Deceit strode away, cape swirling around him, he left behind a broken form, a bloodied and broken side, the product of his anger and frustration.

Shattered and wounded.

Just as Anxiety should be.

Broken.

_Unrepairable_.

Virgil had been broken, and Deceit felt not a drop of remorse for the injured side that lay unconscious upon the carpet of Virgil's room as he stalked away down the hallway, eyes narrowed in a silent fury as he dwelled on how to keep the Light Sides from interfering with his operations now that Virgil had messed everything up.

He hadn't gotten this far to let some useless pawn in his game ruin his plans.

《◇》

So that's all for now :]

\- Ren

See you in chapter 3! :)


	3. Chapter 3

Hello my lovelies!

Did you know that writing fanfiction (or just stories in general?) Is really therapeutic? (At least for me). Just want to say that this fic certainly is a joy to write and I hope it's a joy to read!

Also I mentioned Remy in here, but just know that I am aware that Remy is not a side. I just like the character! :)

Let's go!

《◇》

Virgil groaned quietly as he opened his eyes, taking in the fact that he was still lying on the soft carpet of his gloomy room.

As Virgil used his left arm to push himself up as he prepared to stand, his body cried out as the wounds to his chest and right arm shifted, sending Virgil into a world of pain as he fell back to the ground.

Virgil clenched his teeth, grinding them together as he made a desperate attempt to contain his groans of agony, not wanting to alert Deceit to the fact that he was awake, which may intice the scaled man to return and that wouldn't mean anything good for Virgil.

Virgil slowly shifted on the ground, ignoring the small spikes of pain from his shifting wounds as he situated himself into a starfish position on the ground, which took some of the pressure that had been on his ribs when he had been lying on his side against the wall away.

As Virgil lay there, he knew he wouldn't be getting out of this situation alone.

He couldn't ask Deceit or Remy for assistance, Deceit would most likely provide help by breaking Virgil's neck to rid him of the pain, and Remy? That bumbling idiot couldn't make an PB&J sandwich without help, much less fix a broken arm, broken ribs, and a possibly punctured lung.

"...he'd probably give me a disgustingly sugary coffee to drink and call me fixed..." Virgil spoke aloud to his quiet surroundings, before setting his lips into a terse frown, eyes narrowing as he tried to think of who could help him.

Virgil felt his heart stop and the blood slowly drain from his already pale face as he realized what his only option was.

The Light Sides.

Virgil resigned himself to his fate.

At this point, he'd go anywhere to get away from Deceit.

And if they don't want him... the Light Sides could at least give him a peaceful death. Virgil would rather be put down like a dog then be beaten into submission by Deceit.

Virgil slowly took a deep breath, mindful of his broken ribs, before exhaling softly.

He was ready.

Virgil closed his eyes, concentrating on his intended destination, before willing himself to sink out, feeling the atmosphere of his room slowly fade away, before the new room formed around him.

He was in the same room as before, the happy room.

He was saf-

Virgil flinched, painfully jerking his broken arm closer toward him as a shrill scream rang out through the room.

Virgil whipped his head around and stared, wide-eyed, at the source of the scream.

Roman, the Creative Side, stood infront of the stairway, hand gripping his sword, eyes wide.

Before Roman could unsheath his weapon and attack him, Virgil swayed, eyes lidded as the last of his strength left him.

"I-I'm sorry." Virgil stuttered out, before his eyes fell shut, head lolling as the Anxious Side fell into unconsciousness.

"Guys!" Roman's call echoed around the Mind Palace.

《◇》

Patton was sitting on his bed, cuddling a stuffed animal while listening to some nostalgic music from Thomas's old mp3 player when Roman projected his voice throughout the Mindspace, calling for him.

Patton gently set the plush dog down on his bed before sinking out, heading for the Common Room where Roman was summoning him too.

"Hey Roman what's u-" Patton cheerily greeted the creative side as he popped up, before halting as he took in the scene.

Roman was knelt on the floor of the common room, hands hovering over the collapsed form lying on the ground.

It was the side from earlier, but unlike before he was lying on the ground, visible skin a map of bruises, right arm bent at an unnatural angle, body limp and unresponsive.

He looked...

"Is he..." Patton was hesitant, not wanting to voice the morbid thought.

"He's not dead." Roman paused, eyes grim.

"Not yet."

《◇》

Logan was sitting at his desk, jotting down a few notes for Thomas to remember for a later date, while also listening to an audio book about the, in Logan's opinion, fascinating migratory patterns of animals such as Elk and Deer, when he felt Roman summoning him.

After taken a moment to pause his audio book and neatly place his pens and pencils on the desk, Logan let himself sink out, going to the Common Room, where Roman was calling from.

As Logan popped up, his eyes took in the situation.

The side from earlier was resting on the floor, limbs sprawled limply, facial features relaxed and unresponsive. The side was unconscious, his visible skin covered with more bruises than before, and his right arm was lying outstretched, the bone crooked at a horribly unnatural angle.

Logan rushed forward, ungracefully dropping to his knees on the floor next to Roman, Patton kneeling next to the side across from them.

《◇》

Patton gently moved the side on the floor before him, moving his sprawling legs and unbroken arm to lay down next him, and then Patton asked Roman, who was more skilled and reliable with the task, to summon a cast for Virgil's arm, and a few rolls of bandages.

As Roman worked on that, Patton carefully lifted the sides shirt, wincing as he saw the bruised chest of the side, a dark purple and blue bruise shaped like a boot over the sides lower ribs. Patton knew that the strength required to imprint a bruise in the shape of a bruise right there... the side probably had a broken rib, if not multiple.

As Patton ran his fingers lightly over the sides chest, attempting to gauge the damage, the side groaned, head turning to look up at Patton, confusion clear in his drowsy eyes, before they filled with fear.

"Woah..." Patton sat back, holding his hands up as you would a wounded and frightened animal. "It's alright... you're safe." Patton smiled softly, hoping his demeanor of happiness and love would convince the cautious side to trust him. Patton could feel Roman and Logan watching him from out of sight, the pair smart enough to not speak or make noises which may startle the already terrified side.

"S...sa...?" The injured side was unable to finish his statement, but the question was clear.

"Yep. No Deceit here, it's just us." Patton sadly noted that when the side heard the name of the Deceitful side, he flinched, and Patton felt a piece of his heart break. What had this young and innocent looking side done to deserve this treatment..? "It's alright Kiddo." Patton smiled sadly. "Could you possibly tell me your name? 'Mysterious Side' just doesn't seem to fit you." Patton attempted to smile, hoping the side coild trust him.

"V...v" The side stammered, before taking a deep breath, and calming himself. "Virgil..." The side smiled weakly, before his eyelids slid closed, his head rolling back to a more limp position on the carpet of the Common Room.

"Virgil..." Patton mused over the new-found name of this mysterious side.

《◇》

That's all for now! :)

\- Ren


End file.
